Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal having no say on postings 'negates people's mandate': Congress

NEW DELHI: Congress today slammed the Centre over its notification specifying the Delhi Lt Governor's jurisdiction, and said not allowing the Chief Minister to decide on transfer and postings of officers is to "negate the people's mandate".

"GOI ( Government of India) must ensure the right of the CM duly elected by the people should not be curbed if NDA/BJP believes in cooperative federalism," senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh said on micro-blogging site Twitter.

"I am not a great admirer of Kejriwal but not allowing the CM to decide on transfer and postings of officers is to negate the people's mandate," Singh said.

The Congress leader's remarks came hours after the Home Ministry issued a gazette notification stating that it was not mandatory for the LG to consult the Chief Minister on matters like appointment of bureaucrats.

In the gazette notification issued today, the Union Home Ministry said that the LG will have jurisdiction over matters connected with services, public order, police and land, and he may consult with the Chief Minister whenever he thinks necessary in issues of services using his own "discretion".

Kejriwal, in a frontal attack on the Modi government, accused it of trying to run Delhi through "back-door" to protect the corrupt and said it had "back-stabbed" the people of the city by issuing a notification "siding" with the Lt Governor.